Your chance to help shape the future of the South Downs National Park

People in Sussex are being given a chance to help shape the future of the South Downs National Park.

The Campaign for National Parks is today (Thursday) launching a survey asking what people value about the South Downs National Park - along with Britain’s other national parks - and what ideas they have for their future.

Fiona Howie, Campaign for National Parks’ chief executive, said:“We are proud to stand up for National Parks. But, in our heart of hearts, we know they can be even better. To feed into our thinking about this, we are asking people to tell us what they think those changes could be.”

Mountaineer Sir Chris Bonington, honorary life vice president of the CPN, said:“Our National Parks contain a natural beauty equal to any that I have observed anywhere in the world. The fact that they have been preserved so well is due to the protection and loving care given by their status as national parks.

“We should never be complacent however. The needs of the people living within the parks and of those visiting them, gaining so much from their beauty and character, have inevitably changed with the years. I’ve spoken out in the past about changes to national parks that would be beneficial to local people and the economy. I think these kinds of things need to be discussed in this conversation that I warmly welcome. The challenge is getting the right balance.”

CNP is encouraging as many people as possible to complete the survey to help shape the future of parks.